I have a counter view to Stephen Douglas’ Nov. 6 letter, “ACA is harming small businesses.” I have owned a small business in Vancouver for nearly 40 years. In the early 1980s, we started offering a “Cadillac” insurance package for our employees. I felt then, as I do now, it was the right thing to do, and one way to attract and keep employees.
We have lived with the single- and double-digit annual increases in premiums for more than 30 years. After considering the large number of Americans uninsured at any price, it became obvious to me the commercial health care providers have failed miserably in their social responsibilities. When the Affordable Care Act was being advanced, I became a strong proponent. In 1980, even in the 1990s, I would have been livid at such a prospect.
What a happy surprise it was after the ACA was adopted that we started receiving tax credits to offset the expense of insurance.
It will take some time to work out the kinks, but it is a better system and promises to help all of those already insured not have to bear the extra expense to help pay for emergency services for those without insurance.